Nu. 11:33, Zeph. 3:17. Is. 30:14 unsparingly, Ps. 26:1 without wavering. Particularly in comparisons. Job 9:26 כְּנֶשֶׁר יָטוּשׁ as an eagle swooping; 7:2 as a servant that longeth. Deu. 32:11, Hos. 11:10, Is. 62:1, Jer. 23:29.
§ 45. To express single unfinished or enduring actions in the pres. or past the ptcp. is usually employed in prose, with a different shade of meaning. The impf., however, is often used after certain particles, as אָז then, טֶרֶם not yet, בְּטֶרֶם before. Ex. 15:1 אָז יָשִׁיר משֶׁה then sang Moses; Gen. 19:4 טֶרֶם יִשְׁכָּבוּ they were not yet lain down when, &c. 27:33 וָֽאֹכַל בְּטֶרֶם תָּבוֹא and I ate before thou camest. Deu. 4:41, Jos. 8:30; 10:12; 22:1, 1 K. 3:16; 9:11; 11:7; 16:21, 2 K. 12:18; 15:16. — Gen. 2:5; 24:45, 1 S. 3:3. — Jud. 14:18, 1 S. 2:15, 2 K. 6:32, Jer. 1:5. So sometimes after עַד, Jos. 10:13, Ps. 73:17. See Temporal Sent.
Rem. 1. The use of impf. with interrog. is peculiar. The interrogation not only brings the action into the present, but seems to give such force to the verb that the finite tense may be used. Gen. 32:30 why תִּשְׁאַל dost thou ask? 37:15 מַה־תְּבַקֵּשׁ what dost thou seek? comp. the answer אנכי מְבַקֵּשׁ. So question and answer Gen. 16:8. 2 K. 20:14 מֵאַיִן יָבֹאוּ whence came they? with the answer בָּאוּ they came. Gen. 44:7, Ex. 2:13; 3:3, Jud. 17:9; 19:17, 1 S. 1:8; 17:8; 28:16, 2 S. 1:3, 1 K. 21:7, Job 1:7; 2:2; 15:7, Is. 45:9, 10. In some cases the questions may be freq., Is. 40:27. Perhaps also with other strong particles, like הִנֵּה 1 S. 21:15, Gen. 37:7? And necessarily when ptcp. is resolved into a neg. clause, Jud. 20:16, Lev. 11:47.
Rem. 2. Such particles as then create a space or period with which the action is contemporaneous, into which the speaker throws himself, cf. 2 K. 8:22 where then = at that (general) time. In poetry the usage is extended, and appears with such words as day, time. Job 3:3 perish יוֹם אִוָּלֶד בּוֹ the day on which I was (am) born! 6:17, Deu. 32:35. In other cases it may be doubtful whether contemporaneousness or immediate subsequence be expressed: Job 3:11 why died
